Scissors of a Traitor
by SirCarter
Summary: The sparkling scissors slipped between her ribs sharply, prongs spreading beneath her flesh before twisting hatefully. There they remained, stationary within her, preventing her blood from fleeing her body.
1. Chapter 1

_The sparkling scissors slipped between her ribs sharply, prongs spreading beneath her flesh before twisting hatefully. There they remained, stationary within her, preventing her blood from fleeing her body. The world took on a dark haze that was not quite black, not quite red. She pulled in a shallow breath, shuddering from the pain, and her fingers scrabbled weakly at the backs of the hands trapping the steel in her torso. Paralyzed with shock and fear, she forced out, "What…" The reply was low and threaded with satisfaction. _

"_If I can't have you, no one can."_

_The scissors were suddenly ripped from her body, her blood gushing out of the hole like an unholy river, and a horrific giggle filled her ears. She heard, as from underwater, the voice casually say, "Bye, Jade." The agony screaming across her body slowly numbed as she quivered with one final breath before the world turned black._

_The last image she saw was a small shadow slipping daintily out of the room, leaving her there to die. _

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

It was Tori who found the body.

Jade and Beck were both absent from the table at lunch, but the gang thought nothing of it, assuming that the two of them were off together doing what couples do. But when Tori walked into the history class that she shared with the pair, only Beck could be seen bent over a script on his desk. Dropping into the chair next to him, Tori asked with vague curiosity, "Hey Beck, where's Jade?" He glanced up half-heartedly and responded, "Not sure. I haven't seen her since Sikowitz's class. I spent lunch rehearsing for an upcoming audition. She probably just needed some 'Jade' time. She'll show up eventually." Tori shrugged and moved on easily, discussing Beck's audition until the teacher brought the class to order.

By the time the final bell rang, Jade still hadn't showed up for class. Beck was biting his lip and shifting his gaze uneasily between the clock and the door. After catching the inquiring look on Tori's face, he explained, "I'm worried about her. She promised me last year that she would stop cutting class unnecessarily, and only does it if she's pissed off or depressed. Will you help me look for her?" Tori sighed reluctantly but agreed, for Beck's sake, not for Jade. Beck took off for the roof and Tori stopped by each bathroom in the school. Coming up blank, she thought back to last time Jade pulled a disappearing act, when her play was turned down, and she set off confidently for the janitor's closet.

She arrived quickly and calmly opened the door. But when she flipped on the light, she couldn't comprehend what she was seeing. She had indeed found Jade, but the girl was slumped limply against the wall, head turned away from the door, and she was covered in what Tori deduced was stage blood. "Jade, what are you doing? Beck's having a heart attack. And where did you get so much false blood?" She didn't respond, didn't even move. That's when Tori realized how still the goth was, with no small twitches or even the rise and fall of breathing. Tori took a few tentative steps into the closet, pausing at the edge of the maroon lake. She edged to the side so she could see Jade's face, and when she saw her, she went cold.

Jade's eyes were wide open and empty, devoid of anything but an iris. Tori's head swam, her ears roared, and she stumbled into the hall, shaking uncontrollably. Beck came around the corner just in time to catch her when her legs gave out. "Tori…?" he questioned, bewildered. She opened her mouth to answer, but her lunch came out instead. Beck leapt back from the vomit and Tori sank to the ground, stammering, "J-Jade…I…closet…blood…" Beck stared at her and noticed the gaping entry to the closet. Looking between the ghostly pale Latina and the door, he poked his head in tentatively.

He froze, taking in the sight of his girlfriend, lifeless on the floor of a dirty janitor's closet, soaked in blood. He lurched forward with a shout. "Jade!" His boots slipped in her blood as he reached desperately for the girl he loved. Just before he touched her face, two strong arms circled his waist and tugged him back out of the small room. "Beck, there's nothing to be done," Sikowitz murmured.

"NO!" he yelled. "Let me go! We have to help her, we can save her!"

He struggled vainly to get free but Sikowitz just tightened his grip. Beck continued to shout and kick and scratch as police officers swarmed the hall and roped off the closet. An EMT appeared in front of him and took his shoulders. "Sir, there's nothing you can do. I'm sorry. She's gone." Beck broke into sobs and turned into Sikowitz, supporting himself against the acting teacher's frame. Through his own tears, Sikowitz said, "I'm so sorry, Beck."

After a few minutes, the EMT drew him away with soft words and gentle hands, and guided the shaking boy through the halls to the guidance counselor's office. Beck saw Tori sitting in the corner with a blanket draped over her shoulders, clutching a cup of water. While she was still very pale, she wasn't freaking out like before. He sat next to her heavily and accepted a cup of water from the EMT silently. The man squeezed his shoulder and went to his bag on the other side of the room.

Beck set his cup on the floor and leaned his elbows on his knees, clenched hands supporting his head. He stared at the ground numbly before noticing that Jade's blood was soaked into the fabric of his boots. His face produced a twisted smile. Then he began to chuckle.

The chuckle turned into full-blown laughter, and he leaned back in his chair, head thrown back, laughing manically, with his arms wrapped around his stomach. Tori stared at him with confusion, and even fear. His laughter shifted and she saw tears pouring out of his eyes. She moved a hand carefully to his knee, but he swatted her away and fell off his chair, bringing his legs to his chest. He began tear at his hair and sank his nails into his left forearm. Tori looked around in panic and saw the forgotten EMT rushing towards them with a small syringe. The man crouched next to the weeping, laughing, Beck. Tugging Beck's arm out of the fetal position, the EMT shoved his sleeve up and cleanly administered the liquid in the syringe. Beck quieted quickly and his muscles relaxed.

"Sedative," he explained to Tori. "He'll sleep dreamlessly for a couple hours. Sometimes the shock of loosing a loved one can overwhelm the body, especially in violent deaths. Seeing the body makes it even worse." Tori nodded, tears falling down her face. The EMT picked up Beck's sleeping form and laid him gently on Lane's couch. Tori reached over and brushed his long hair away from his sweaty, tear-stained face.

A smartly dressed woman entered the room then, and introduced herself. "Hi Tori, I'm Detective Johnson. I would like to ask you a few questions if you feel up to it." Tori swallowed shakily and asked, "Are my parents here yet? Can I see them please?" The detective smiled softly and replied, "Yes, of course, forgive me. Your mother is on her way but your father is across the hall." Tori smiled painfully and dashed out of the room, searching for the safety of her dad's embrace.

Detective Johnson walked up to the couch and said, "We need to store those boots in evidence." The EMT nodded and returned to his station across the room. The woman bent to untie the shoes and placed them carefully in two large, clear, bags. She looked down at the sedated teen and sighed.

"A sixteen year old girl was gruesomely murdered in a janitor's closet at a prestigious performing arts high school. What the hell happened?" Not expecting a reply from the EMT, she strode out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: If I owned Victorious, this sentence wouldn't exist.**

For about a week after the murder, Beck had stayed in the main house with his parents. Returning to his RV in the driveway was out of the question; everything in it and everything about it gave him vivid memories of Jade and he couldn't handle them without breaking apart over and over again. Unfortunately, living with his parents was impossible as well.

Hollywood Arts had been closed for the past week to allow the police unrestricted access to the crime scene and the resources to start creating a list of suspects. Since summer vacation started the week after the up and coming one, Beck had opted to remain home, unable to face the school that had held so many memories; he also doubted that he could pass by the janitor's closet without having some sort of panic attack. His parents hadn't wanted to leave him alone so soon so they both decided to stay home with their traumatized son, his father working from home and his mother taking off work entirely.

He couldn't bear to see the looks of worry they continuously gave him, always on edge, scared that he would have a break down similar to that of the day of the murder. They walked on eggshells around him and talked in soft whispers. Everyday they never failed to ask him, "How are you feeling? Are you doing okay?" Beck just wanted to scream at them, _"My girlfriend was just murdered! How the fuck do you think I'm feeling?"_ but he just kept his mouth shut and tried to ignore them. What he hated almost as much as the tip toeing was the deep wells of pity in their eyes. The voices he could tune out, but the eyes were harder to disregard and made him both furious and unbearably sad.

One afternoon, a few days after his world fell apart, he reached his breaking point with them and had to get away from his parents and his home, if only for a little while. Beck couldn't stand spending another second just sitting in the silent living room trying not think about Jade while his parents whispered to one another in the dining room. He was going to go insane. So Beck decided to take a walk around the neighborhood and to the park.

Beck loved to take walks, they cleared his head, and as he was strolling along he couldn't help but remember when Jade learned that factoid about him. She had snorted in the way only Jade could and said, "Dude, you have a car. Why would you walk anywhere?" They had then spent about ten minutes arguing pointlessly over the matter. Smiling at the memory, Beck felt tears filling his eyes and he stopped at a bench in the park to allow himself to cry for his love yet again.

As he wiped the last of his tears away, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Robbie. The awkward boy was looking at him with sadness when he asked, "What are you doing out here?" Grateful that he hadn't asked how he was feeling, Beck exhaled heavily and replied, "Just getting out of the house. My parents are driving me insane." Robbie smiled and offered, "You can come over to mine if you'd like. My dad usually stays in the background when he's home, which isn't often." Beck was ready to refuse but decided that he couldn't just sit around crying in the park all day. "Sure. Thanks."

The boys walked out of the park at a leisurely pace in comfortable silence. Beck wasn't pressured to speak, and Robbie knew the long haired boy could use some quiet. Robbie guided them expertly through the back roads and turned into the driveway of a gray house with peeling paint a few blocks from the park. Having never been to the Shapiro residence, Beck studied the yard and small house with interest as the curly haired boy led the way to the plain, wooden front door.

The grass, thanks to the LA heat, was yellowed and shot through with weeds. The porch was worn down, slightly caved in after the single step, and squeaked loudly when walked on. A broken swing was occupying one corner. While Beck looked around, Robbie produced a key and, sticking it into the rusty door knob, shoved the door open with a grunt. "It sticks," he explained embarrassedly. Beck just nodded and followed the talented ventriloquist inside. The door opened directly into a darkened hallway that was lined with scruffy brown carpeting and odd floral wallpaper. As Robbie lead the way around the corner, Beck looked into various doorways and saw a small living room with a ripped couch sitting in front of an old-fashioned television. The room was open to the kitchen area that had stained linoleum floors and cabinets that Beck could tell made very loud sounds when opened.

Another doorway exposed a tiny room that had a large desk taking up over half the space. The rest of the area was filled with what looked like layout plans for various buildings and projects. Beck followed Robbie around the corner to a dead end that had 3 doors, one on the back wall and other two facing each other. Robbie pointed at the door on the direct end of the hall and commented, "Bathroom" before turning left. Beck stepped into Robbie's room with interest, taking in the place he knew the goofy guy spent much of his time. It was small, but orderly, and it was evident that it was the room of one Robert Shapiro.

A closet in the corner exposed a rack of cardigans, shirts, and even jeans held up by hangers. The shelving unit over the desk held various electronics and Beck even spied a case of that male make up he always talked about. Shaking his head, Beck glanced at the bookshelf and was impressed with the comic book collection.

Remnants of Rex, the puppet Robbie had carried around for years before finally growing out of it a couple months ago, were also strewn through the space. Pictures of the duo were on the desk, a "Guide to Advanced Ventriloquism" was on the bookshelf, and there was a large garbage bag of small clothes behind the door. Rex himself, Beck knew, was stored in the attic so Robbie wouldn't be tempted to return to his old ways. Beck arched an eyebrow at the bag of clothes and Robbie explained quickly, "I haven't had time to take them to the Salvation Army." Beck wondered whether the charity would actually want puppet clothes but didn't comment.

The actor sat heavily on the bed while Robbie perched on his desk chair and pulled his PearPad out of a drawer. The obnoxiously large high-tech item looked very out of place in the run down home but Beck knew it would be rude to question the puppeteer. The boys casually talked about various subjects that had nothing to do with Hollywood Arts or Jade, spending a lot of time on comic books, for a few hours. Beck had started to relax a little for the first time since he saw Tori sinking to her knees. The performer's stomach had just started to growl when the two heard the front door slam loudly.

Robbie dropped his feet off of his desk and rose, saying, "Dad's home. He probably picked up some dinner, come on." Beck hadn't eaten properly in days but he actually seemed to have an appetite so he was quick to sit up on the bed and hop to his feet, following Robbie down the hall to the kitchen.

Mr. Shapiro was a large man with a sun scared face and dark tinted eyes. Though he was balding, the hair he did have was identical to his son's loud curls. He was dressed in heavy khaki cargo pants, work boots, and a sturdy blue button shirt with the words 'Collins & Sons Construction' sewn onto the chest. He smiled tiredly at his son and glanced curiously at Beck. Robbie spoke up, "Hey Dad, this is Beck Oliver, a friend from school. Is it okay if he stays for dinner?"

Mr. Shapiro's eyes widen at his name, obviously aware of the events of last week and his connection to them, but he smiled warmly and replied, "Nice to meet you, Beck. You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like. I picked up a pizza on the way home." The tall man hesitated, as if trying to decide whether he should say something consoling about the murder, but Robbie gave the slightest of head shakes and Mr. Shapiro went to eat in front of the baseball game. Beck nodded at the boy gratefully and moved forward to pick up a plate.

Beck stayed mostly silent during the meal as Robbie made small conversation with his father. Occasionally, Mr. Shapiro would question Beck about baseball, or sports in general, and the actor did his best to respond with his limited knowledge. When the boys were full, they headed back to Robbie's room. "Your Dad's a nice guy," Beck commented as he lay back down on the bed. The lanky boy smiled in thanks and flopped down on the floor, propping his feet up against the wall.

They remained in easy silence for a while before Robbie ventured tentatively, "Have you seen or talked to anyone else?" Beck sighed and said, "No. Tori and Andre both called a few times but I didn't pick up. Have you?" Robbie nodded. "I talked to Cat a couple times. She doesn't seem to be affected. If anything, she seems even perkier than usual. I'm not sure if she's comprehended what happened yet. Although, she hasn't mentioned…her…at all, which is weird for Cat. Maybe she just doesn't know how to handle it. I talked to Tori yesterday too…" He trailed off and hesitated, obviously combating with himself on whether to reveal some information or not. Beck sat up stiffly. "What?" he asked, face devoid of emotion. Cautiously, Robbie continued.

"Her dad is working on the investigation and accidentally left some of his notes out on his desk. Tori snuck a look at them and, apparently, the security cameras outside the school didn't capture anyone entering campus who wasn't supposed to be there." Beck just stared at him, unsure of what the dorky guy was trying to say. "That means that the…murderer…" they both winced, "most likely goes to, or works at, Hollywood Arts."

Beck shouldn't have been surprised- after all, what kind of person just waltzes into a school and kills a girl- but his breath whooshed out of him. _It could have been someone we know_, he realized, sick to his stomach. "Do they have any leads?" he forced out through gritted teeth. Robbie shook his head dejectedly. "Nothing."

The new silence was heavy, like a blanket, and Beck found himself struggling not to drown in his pain and rage. Robbie sat up and took one look at the dark haired boy's face before lurching to his feet. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." Beck shook his head and tried to say something in response but choked on the large rock in his throat. Robbie sat next to him and gripped his shoulder as sobs wracked his bent form, not saying a word, just letting his friend grieve. Eventually, Beck's tears ran dry. "I loved her so much," he said shakily.

"I know. And so did she. She loved you too." Robbie replied comfortingly. Beck nodded and turned to face him. "I have to know who did it. Jade knew the person, I'm sure of that now. I can feel it. I owe it to her to find the one who stole her future, to expose the monster for what he is and make him pay."

Robbie looked troubled and said quickly, "The police will find him, and he will be brought to justice." Beck jumped to his feet and spun, exclaiming, "They haven't yet! They've combed that entire school for an entire week and came up with NOTHING! They could use a bit of help, whether they know they're getting it or not! And who knows the victim better than me? No one, that's who."

Robbie knew from the look on his broken friend's face that arguing would be futile. "Alright, we'll see what we can find out. But if we come up blank after one week then we have to let the police handle it," he compromised. "We?" Beck repeated. The ventriloquist shrugged and said, "Well, someone has to make sure you don't do anything crazy." Beck smiled and clapped the boy on the arm. "Thanks, Rob." Robbie returned the smile briefly before turning serious again. "Today is Saturday, therefore we should start tomorrow so we can plan out what I look for at school on Monday. I'm going to guess you won't be attending?"

Beck grunted affirmation and looked away. Still studying the wall, he asked, "Why can't we start now?" Robbie replied determinedly, "Because I know you haven't slept a wink and I think you need to spend this evening catching up. You can stay here if you don't want to go home, Dad won't mind." Beck began to protest but Robbie shook his head firmly. "Fine, I'll go call my mom," Beck agreed reluctantly. Triumphant, Robbie smiled and went to grab his PearPad.

"Hey Robbie?" Beck asked softly. He turned back inquisitively. "Do…do you think Jade's okay? Wherever she is?" Robbie's reply was soft and sure. "I'm certain that she's fine, Beck. Maybe she finally found some peace." Beck attempted a pained smile before leaving the room to call his mom.

**A/N: I think it's clear who the murderer is at this point, but the identity will be confirmed to the reader next chapter. I'm writing this at the same time I'm writing another tale [Attention Span] so forgive me if I'm not as prompt as I should be. I will say that this story has taken over my brain. **

**Review to tell me what you think is going to happen! Not to sound bossy or anything…but do it. ;) **


	3. Chapter 3

Cat woke up early on the first day of the last week of school. She was excited to return to a Hollywood Arts that would be devoid of the pain of seeing that two-faced liar hanging all over Beck. The redhead smiled softly as she thought back to last Friday, when she finally stood up for herself and put Jade in her rightful place. Cat had believed that Jade loved her, the actor had even said it to her face, but she was just a fraud who enjoyed twisting Cat's emotions to her will.

Cat padded over to her desk and fished a bronze key out of her bright purple ceramic pencil holder. Kneeling in front of the bottom drawer, she slipped it into the keyhole and turned it smoothly. The drawer opened effortlessly, early morning light revealing a cave of memories kept by a sentimental Cat. She let her gaze touch each object in turn: a folder of pointless notes passed between her and the goth; a disk of their performance at Karaoke Dokie; the script of the play Jade had written for her to star in; ticket stubs from various concerts and movies the two had shared; a small stuffed elephant Jade had given her the morning after they got together; and one of Jade's shirts, a worn, black, oversized T from a theater camp, which Cat had taken to sleep in when she felt lonely. Though Jade never said anything, Cat knew she was aware that Cat had it.

What she reached for, however, was resting on top of the folded shirt. It was a gift from Jade for their one year anniversary, a silver pair of scissors, the kind you find at a hair salon with the long blades and small, round finger holes. Slipping her fingers gracefully through the openings, Cat remembered the night Jade gave them to her, about three months ago.

_They were lying in Jade's bed, the taller girl wrapped around the smaller, bare bodies pressed together comfortably. Cat had been drifting contentedly towards sleep when Jade tickled her ear with a murmur, "I have something for you." The goth pulled away and Cat growled softly in protest. Jade chuckled as she reached over to open the cabinet on her black nightstand. Cat watched curiously as she pulled a narrow box from the depths and rolled back to face the redhead. The excitable girl giggled and took the offered object. She slipped the lid off and gasped at the glinting scissors within. Jade explained embarrassedly, "Two things I love, you and scissors. Happy anniversary."_

_Cat clutched the offering tightly in one hand as she rolled on top of her dark counterpart, capturing her lips in a warm kiss. "I love them," she whispered against the inviting lips. Jade pecked her lightly and wrapped her arms around the singer, hugging her close. The actor rolled them onto their sides and a drowsy Cat heard her whisper, "Keep them a secret. He'll know where you got them." Cat hummed her assent into Jade's chest and succumbed to a content slumber, fingers still wrapped around the shears shining in a crack of moonlight. _

Cat returned to the present with a sigh, frowning at the memory that used to warm her from the inside out. Jade consistently reminded her to keep any and all evidence of their clandestine relationship hidden. That was why she had a locked drawer full of Jade-related items. The goth's biggest fear was Beck finding out about the two girls.

The longtime Hollywood Arts power couple had been going out for a few months shy of a year when Cat had confessed her love to the director. They had been in the very room Cat was in now when it all came out.

_Jade was pacing a hole into Cat's vivid purple carpet while the redhead watched her curiously from her perch on the bed. The dark clothed girl was muttering at a speed that even talkative Cat was impressed by. From what Cat could make out, Beck had just told Jade that he loved her for the first time. Cat watched for a moment longer before butting in suddenly, "Do you love him back?" Jade stopped in her tracks and raised her eyebrows in contemplation, oblivious to the fact that Cat was waiting for an answer with bated breath. "I've never been in love, so I don't know for sure, but I think I do," she eventually replied. "I told him I did anyway." Eyes falling to the floor sheepishly, Cat stated, "I'm in love."_

_Jade leaned against the wall behind her, crossing her arms and ankles, and groaned. "I knew it! Cat, you could do so much better than that puppet-carrying geek! Why do you-" Cat cut her off, exclaiming, "Robbie is not that geeky! And he's not who I'm in love with!" Jade's shadowed eyes probed into hers and she rose from the bed hesitantly, taking a few slow steps forward until she stood in front of the other girl. Jade's eyes widened in shock as she realized what Cat was implying. Setting her hands gently on the taller girl's shoulders, Cat rose on her bare toes and leaned forward carefully. Jade snapped back to attention and shoved her away roughly, striding toward the door hurriedly. _

_She turned abruptly and said icily, "I'm with Beck." Cat felt tears on her face as she stared at the now empty doorway and winced when the front door slammed. Moving to the window, Cat saw Jade standing stationary in the driveway, bouncing her fist against her leg in agitation. The singer opened her window and Jade turned toward the sound. Cat bit her lip and shouted, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" Jade shook her head sharply and abruptly marched back into the house. Cat stood tensely in her childish room as she listened to the heavy footsteps approaching quickly. Suddenly, Jade was there, too close to her face, stating, "You're a terrible liar, Valentine." Then her lips were on Cat's and her hands were tangled in her obnoxious red hair. _

_Cat responded with vigor, hooking her fingers into the goth's belt loops to pull her closer and nipping her bottom lip in a forceful plea for entrance. Jade grinned against her lips with amusement at the unexpected demand and complied eagerly. Their tongues snaked together but, try as she might, Cat quickly lost the battle for dominance, allowing Jade to search the caverns of her mouth. Moaning heatedly with the feeling of Jade's tongue against hers, Cat let her hands slip under the fabric of Jade's tank top, tracing the jumping muscles of her soft stomach. _

_Jade hissed and backed the smaller girl against a wall, dropping her hands from the bright hair in the process. She squeezed Cat's beast gently through her shirt and Cat dug her nails into the girl's back in response. Jade ripped her lips from Cat's and dipped lower to mark her neck, sucking and nipping passionately. The goth moaned into her pulse point when Cat's thigh accidentally slipped between her own. Jade pulled her hands from Cat's chest to grip the underside of one skirt clad leg, tugging upward desperately. Cat immediately realized what she wanted and hopped slightly to wrap her legs around the director's waist. She captured Jade's lips again and anchored the stubborn head where she wanted it, twisting one hand into the long, streaked, hair, with the other locking behind her neck. Cat danced her tongue into Jade's mouth and felt the stronger girl relent, allowing her to explore eagerly. Jade's hands, meanwhile, were able to simultaneously support the impish girl between her body and the wall, and caress the smooth, tanned, skin of her legs. _

_Just as Cat began to kiss her way down Jade's jaw, the goth broke her grip and tilted her head toward the door. Cat was about to question her when she heard it too- the garage door. Jade backed up and let Cat drop to the floor, groaning, "Fuck." Cat felt panic begin to well up inside her but Jade seared her lips one last time before disappearing out of the room in the direction of the back door._

Over a year later, Cat still wasn't sure why Jade had changed her mind that day, risking her precious Beckett in the process, but the goth had approached her in an empty classroom the next day with a bribe and a proposition. Fluffy elephant in hand, Cat had agreed to keep their relationship a secret. She had just been happy to finally have her heart's desire. Harder to agree to, however, was Jade's demand that she still be able to date Beck. Cat didn't want to share Jade, nor did she want to help Jade cheat, but she had convinced herself that the situation wouldn't be forever, and Jade would soon leave Beck completely.

Cat was never the brightest crayon in the box.

The girl studied the scissors in her hand with a smile, reminding herself that Jade no longer had any power over her. Jade had used deceit and lies to capture Cat's heart, so Cat ripped hers to shreds. Literally.

Cat jumped when her alarm clock went off behind her. She replaced the scissors and slammed the drawer shut, locking it swiftly, and dropped the key back into the pencil cup. The girl turned up the pop music station and moved around the room energetically, singing as she got ready for school. Dressed for the day, Cat left the empty house and hopped into her bright yellow Volkswagen. Singing happily, she expertly navigated the LA traffic until she reached an intersection that was clogged up from a crash. By the time the little yellow car pulled into the H.A. parking lot, she was late. Cat slipped in through the back door, and her mind was whirring with a debate between having a parrot or a puppy for a pet so she didn't initially notice the large sign on the wall announcing:

Memorial Service for

Jadelyn West

This afternoon at 2pm in the Black Box Theater

When she saw it, her smile slipped and she ended up scowling as she walked up to read the fine print on the bottom of the notice. It was asking for people to speak about the deceased girl and Cat saw a small group had already signed up, Tori and Andre among them. Cat bit her lip and looked around at the sound of footsteps at the end of the hall. She saw Robbie pass by the entrance to the hallway, and he was walking very quickly, looking around nervously. He didn't notice Cat, so, curiosity aroused, she followed him.

Luckily, she had decided to wear quiet sneakers instead of clacking heels, thus she was able to stay undetected. A burst of inspiration led to the singer humming the James Bond theme song under her breath as she stalked the boy exaggeratedly, fingers bent to form the shape of a gun. Oddly, Robbie led her to the main foyer so Cat, already bored, called out cheerfully, "Hi Robbie!" The boy spun so quickly that he almost fell over and Cat giggled as she skipped up to him. "Cat, hey, what are you doing out of class?" he asked slowly.

Cat smiled wider and explained about the intersection, "…so then I didn't get to school until just now but that's okay because I got to play Spy and follow you around! I think the homeless man outside the coffee shop is a spy. He always wears an overcoat." Robbie stared at her and shook his head. "So what are you doing?" she questioned inquiringly. The dummy-less ventriloquist looked around nervously before leading her by the hand to the now infamous janitor's closet, saying, "Don't tell anyone, but Beck and I are going to try and figure out who attacked Jade."

Cat looked at him with wide eyes and blurted out loudly, "Why? Isn't that the police's job?" Robbie shushed her and explained, "The police aren't getting anywhere, but Beck really needs closure. So he is determined to try and find something to either point the cops in the right direction or to find the…killer…himself. I can't let him do it alone, so here I am." Cat digested the information as Robbie turned to the notorious closet door and held his breath as he gently tried to twist the handle. It was locked.

Robbie exhaled in…relief? "I promised Beck I would try to open it, but I REALLY didn't want to go in there," he admitted. Cat, her trademark smile already returned to her face, commented, "I'm sure Jade's blood and body are all cleaned up by now." Robbie gaped at her in astonishment of her nonchalant tone. "Yeah…," he said eventually. "I have to go back to class. Don't tell anyone what Beck and I are up to." Cat nodded and asked, "Where is Beck, anyway?" Robbie dropped his head and replied quietly, "He's not coming back until maybe next year. He's in no shape to face the school right now." Cat beamed and said, "Kay kay! Bye Robbie!" The boy watched her with an odd expression as she bounced away down the hall.

Cat wasn't worried about Beck, plus Robbie, poking around to find out the truth. After all, she was an old pro at keeping things veiled from Beck Oliver.

**A/N: Quite the character, that Cat. I'm going to start alternating between Beck's and Cat's POV. Just so you're prepared. **


End file.
